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12 Gross Things About Sharing A Bathroom With A Man

by Sarah Bunton

When it comes to things I can't compromise on in a relationship, having a space of my own is at the top of the list. Obviously when my husband and I first moved in with each other, we were in cramped quarters and personal square footage was a luxury. Even in the coziest of abodes, I've found that you can create and maintain boundaries. But there are still plenty of gross things women deal with when sharing a bathroom with a man. I might have my own private drawer by the sink or shelf in the shower, but things inevitably find their way into my area.

You might be one of the lucky ladies who has a particularly neat and orderly male partner, but even the most well-groomed man can absentmindedly leave a mess on the washroom counter. In a way, it's just par for the course when sharing your domestic domain with another person. For every mystery hair found and toilet seat left up, there are plenty of women who stand with you in solidarity. If you want to see just how common your guy's restroom habits are, then check out these gross things women have to deal with when they share a bathroom with a man.

1

Their Hair Is Everywhere

I'll the first to admit that I shed like a dog, but my partner does his fair share of shedding, too. As dermatologist Cato Mørk told Science Nordic, "because the male sexual hormone testosterone has the biggest impact on hair, women don’t lose hair the same way." Even if your partner isn't going bold, it does seem that men leave more strands behind in the bathroom than women do.

2

They Spread Germs

Anyone care to pass the hand sanitizer, please? According to a study conducted by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), only 75 percent of men washed their hands after using the restroom, compared to over 90 percent of women. Even grosser, the same study found that 37 percent of men washed their hands versus 87 percent of women, after using a public restroom. I'm actually not sure which statistic is more disturbing.

3

They're Influenced By Sinks

On the topic of sanitary practices, it turns out that the status of your sink plays a major role. According to data published on Michigan State University's official website, researchers found that clean sinks were linked to more hygienic habits and men were less likely to take a proactive approach towards sanitary practices than women. So maybe if you can convince your partner to clean the counter and faucet, they might just be more inclined to use it.

4

They Have Poor Aim

Since virtually all women sit on the toilet, there's not much room for splatter. In my experience, nothing is grosser than stepping in something wet that you just know isn't water from the shower or sink.

5

They Leave The Seat Up

If you have a brother, boyfriend, or watch television, you know the cliche about guys leaving the toilet seat up. As it turns out, that stereotypes exist for a reason. According to the journal Scientific Creative Quarterly, research showed that it's predominantly men who leave the toilet seat up and that, "when the number of females in a household is equal to the number of males the optimal placement of the toilet seat is down." Basically, since women sit down to pee and poop while men only sit to poop, it's scientifically more efficient to leave the seat down.

6

They're Plugged In

Most everyone has taken their phone into the restroom once or twice, but making it a daily habit when you share the space with someone else is just rude. In a study conducted by 11Mark that was shared on The Huffington Post, men were more likely to use their phone in the bathroom than women and 30 percent of males refused to go to the toilet without their smart device.

7

They Mark Their Territory

Blame this one on biological instincts, I guess. As Frank Kobola noted in Cosmopolitan, men tend to use any available towel to wipe the testicles on. So if you're wondering whether or not that hand cloth has come in contact with your gent's genitals, the answer is most likely yes.

8

They Scratch Their Backside

Do you really need to me told by a doctor that scratching your rear is gross? It seems so. In a recent article in Men's Health, physician Dr. Jared W. Klein had to give medical proof that touching your butt is unhygienic to deter men from engaging in this gross habit.

9

They Invade Your Space

For my partner, the shower, sink, and toilet are interchangeable. So, if I'm washing my hair, for instance, he doesn't see anything wrong with poking in to rinse off his hands, spit, or pee. Ew.

10

They Spit — A Lot

I have no clue why guys do this, but spitting is such a frequent bathroom activity of males that research has been done on the subject. Sociologist Dr. Robert McCarl told Boise Weekly that men tend to spit prior to urinating because males are hardwired to mark their territory. Maybe show your partner his name on the lease to remind him he doesn't need to prove the place is his.

11

They're Not Big On Toilet Paper

You probably haven't closely observed how much toilet paper your SO uses, but researchers have. Microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba told The New York Times that men use less toilet paper than women. This may not be super yucky in the bathroom, but if men aren't using a sufficient amount of TP when wiping, the consequences will be gross.

12

They Leave Pubic Hair Behind

In my experience, guys groom their pubic region in front of the mirror. This means that you'll discover their leftover hair on the floor, meshed in rugs, and around the sink. Nothing is more disgusting than grabbing a bar of soap only to find pubic hair on it.